Tag: hybrid

Why don’t you get all-solar narrowboats?

Posted on February 23, 2024February 23, 2024 by David Johns

It sounds great, for sure. A narrowboat needs only 1-2kW to move along (once it has begun moving) thus a 20kWh battery pack could sustain 5-10 hours travel (presuming standard

Canal boat engines & motors

Posted on January 23, 2024February 23, 2024 by David Johns

I’ll cover outboard motors further down the page but the de facto powerplant for a modern narrowboat or widebeam is the inboard diesel engine. Known for long reliability and substantial

Vlog 322: Make It So

Posted on January 16, 2024February 24, 2024 by David Johns

In May 2022, I published a video about a narrowboat being built for a couple who had specific mobility and agility requirements following illness. This is a follow-up video to see how they’ve been getting on with it since launch.

Vlog 312: Peace in a Pod

Posted on October 1, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

I was kindly invited aboard NB Tranquility to see its one-of-a-kind (on the canals) electric propulsion system as well as the many other technical features of this intriguing boat.

Vlog 286: Click and Collect

Posted on January 7, 2023February 24, 2024 by David Johns

For single-handed canal boaters, shimmying up and down lock ladders or trying to get through swing bridges can be a huge nuisance. How much easier it would be if you could steer your boat with remote control! That’s exactly what Gill Gregory can do aboard “Desiderata” so I went to see the system in action.

Vlog 266: 2 Unlimited

Posted on May 23, 2022February 24, 2024 by David Johns

What would a narrowboat look like if you were able to start with a blank sheet of paper and design it so that the boat was still very usable in later life or with limits on your physical agility? A couple from Hampshire have done just that so I went along to see the finishing touches being put to the boat ahead of it going on display at the Crick Waterways show in June.

Vlog 244: Electric Dreams

Posted on July 13, 2021May 7, 2024 by David Johns

At the end of May 2021, I attended a narrowboat trials day arranged by boat builder Ortomarine. Starting on the River Severn and going up the Droitwich canals, eight boats using a variety of power plants would have their fuel, efficiency and any solar input measured and compared. This video summarises what happened and the results.

Vlog 69: Silent Running

Posted on December 1, 2016February 24, 2024 by David Johns

With many thanks to Alan and Wendy for letting me on board, this is another video where I peek into other boaters’ craft – but also, this particular narrowboat has a fairly rare type of engine set up, being a hybrid diesel-electric.